Cambridge Residents Alliance General Meeting Agenda

1. Presentation and Discussion: The Leasing of the Public Garage and the Courthouse (45 min)

Keep Public Land in Public Hands:The Courthouse, the Garage and We the People

The City proposes to lease 40% of the parking spaces in the First Street Public Garage to developer Leggatt McCall (LM) so LM can turn the outsized former courthouse into a commercial office tower. We want housing, open space and other public options – we can’t afford to sell off public assets. Please sign the petition to the City Council:www.courthousegarage.org.

· Chuck Hinds, President, ECPT – a brief history of the sale of the Sullivan Courthouse

· Louise Parker – the public campaign in opposition to leasing public parking spaces

· Rep. Mike Connolly – what a good public process for the Courthouse would look like

· Discussion

2. Proposed Redevelopment of the Cambridgeside Galleria Mall (30 min)

More offices and labs in tall buildings in East Cambridge

The mall’s owners propose to demolish parts of the retail areas to build office/lab towers close to the old courthouse. They will seek significant zoning changes including heights to 185 feet.

· Chuck Hinds, President, ECPT -- What is being proposed by New England Development and the process going forward

· Discussion

3. Eversource Proposal to build a substation next to the K-Lo School (20 min)

Eversource plans a large transformer near the Kennedy-Longfellow School to service Kendall Square offices and labs.

· Ilan Levy, ECPT Board member – outline of the proposal and the community response